Electric discharge apparatus



Jan. 17, 1939. H K 2,144,520

ELECTRIC DISCHARGE APPARATUS Filed July 12, 1958 Inventor: Harald Beck H i s, R ch ox n e y.

Patented Jan. 17, 1939 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC DISCHARGE APPARATUS Harald Beck, Berlin-Westend, Germany, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 12, 1938, Serial No. 218,838 In Germany July 15, 1937 3 Claims.

My invention relates to electric discharge apparatus and particularly to such apparatus wherein an electric discharge device is operated from a direct current circuit whose voltage is insuflicient to start the operation of the device.

It is the object of my invention to provide improved apparatus of this character having means for producing the necessary starting voltage which means is automatically rendered inoperative with the starting of the device.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

5 In the single figure of the drawing which is a circuit diagram illustrating anembodiment of my invention, I have shown at I an electric discharge device, which for example may be a discharge lamp, provided with the electrodes 20 2 and 3 at the ends thereof, the device being such that it requires a higher applied voltage to start the discharge therein than to maintain the discharge after it has started. The device is connected by the leads 4 and 5 with a suitable source 25 6 of direct current supply..

For producing a higher voltage across the device to effect the' starting thereof, I employ the electromagnetic vibrator I connected across the leads 4 and 5. The vibrator is represented as 30 comprising the core 8 having thereon the winding 9 and the armature III supported opposite .one end of the core by the spring I I. The spring carries the movable contact I2 which when the apparatus is at rest engages the fixed contact 35 I3. On the core is the auxiliary, high voltage winding I5 one end of which connects through the capacitor I6 with the lead 5 and the other end is grounded whereby the voltage produced in this winding is applied to the discharge-de- 40 vice inasmuch as the other lead 4 is grounded as shown at I1.

In order that the vibrator may be rendered inoperative after the lamp has been started, the core 8 is provided with the third winding I9 which is connected in series with the discharge device. The eifect of this additional winding is to retain the armature after the device has start- 5 ed in a position such that the contacts I2 and I3 are separated. Thus, the discharge device is automatically started by the operation of the vibrator but as soon as the discharge starts through the device the vibrator is rendered inoperative. 10

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: p

1. In combination, a source of direct current supply, an electric discharge device connected to be operated therefrom, an electromagnetic vibrator connected across said source, an auxiliary winding associated with said vibrator for producing a starting voltage for said device and a holding winding associated with vibrator and respon-, sive to the current in said device for rendering the vibrator inoperative.

2. In combination, a source of direct current supply, an electric discharge device connected to be operated therefrom, an electromagnet and vibrator actuated thereby connected across said source, an auxiliary winding in inductive relation to said electromagnet arranged to supply a starting voltage to said device and a winding in series with the device for holding the vibrator in an inoperative position.

3. In combination, a source of direct current supply, an electric discharge device connected to be operated therefrom, an electromagnet having a. main winding and a vibrator actuated thereby connected in series across said source, the core of said electromagnet having an auxiliary winding thereon connected across said device for supplying thereto a starting voltage and having thereon a holding winding connected in series with said device for holding said vibrator in an open circuit position after the device has started.

HARALD BECK. 

